Method of making bimetallic products



OST

ET'ALLIC PRODUCTS METHQD OF MAK Filed W lm@ R. FR

ING B l July A N W Dec. 31, 1946.

Patented Dec. 31, 1946 METHOD F MAKING BIMETALLIC PRODUCTS FrankR. Frost, Pittsburgh, Pa.; Amy Lusk Frost,

Elizabeth F. Potter, and The Union Trust Company of Pittsburgh, executors of said Frank R. Frost, deceased; said Frank R. Frost assignor to Superior Steel Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pa.,

, a corporation of Virginia Application July 31, 1942, Serial No. 453,092

(Cl. 2li-188) 2 claims. 1

'I'his invention relates to an improved method of making bimetallic billets and bimetallic products.

Bimetalllc billets are used for rolling into bimetallic products such as strip. the strip being utilized in the manufacture of various important products suchl for example, as bullet jackets. It has heretofore been proposed to form bimetallic billets by joining a relatively heavy backing member of ferrous metal such as steel and one or two relatively light facing members of copper alloy or similar relatively soft metal. The backing member may be flanged and the facing member or members may be joined t`o the backing member by deforming the flange of the backing member over the edges of the facing member or members.

Bimetallic billets such as are referred to above are rolled into strip and the strip is blanked out and die-formed. It is desirable that the strip be rolled in long coils as is the modern practice in rolling steel strip. This requires long billetsperhaps 15 to 20 feet long or longer. simple matter to `make a steel billet as long as desired up to about 60 feet in length. likewise the ferrous metal component of the bimetallic billet may be readilyv made in any desired lengths up to about 60 feet. However, it is difcult or impossible to obtain plates or slabs of copper alloy or similarrelatively soft metal of a length even approaching 15 to 20 feet which will satisfactorily cooperate with the steel backing member because of the high tolerances required by the Ibrass and other relatively soft copper alloy manufacturers with respect to camber. While a steel billet or billet component of any length up to about 60 feet may be made substantially It is a' straight, soft metal slabs are cambered or curved g to such an extent that it is necessary from the practical standpoint to restrict the length thereof to muchA less than the desired length of the steel component in order that the steel and soft metal components will'properly cooperate upon assembly to enable them to be Joined to make a-blmetallic billet. I have found that in actual practice, considering the general run of soft metal slabs obtainable in the market, the length of the soft metal slabs or facing components should not greatly exceed six feet and it is preferable to keep such length down to between four and five feet.

The necessity of greatly limiting the length of the soft metal facing components of bimetallic billets is especially pronounced when the facing components are to be applied to a flanged steel backing member and held in place by deforming 2 member. In making a 'billet of this type it is customary and desirable that the width of the facing member or members should closely approximate the distance between the opposed anges of the backing member. If a facing member is substantially curved or cambered it cannot, if of greater length than about four to six feet, be applied to the backing member be-A the first mentioned component, and assembling.

and joining the first mentioned component and the second mentioned components with the sec ond mentioned components lying in end-to-end relationship along the first mentioned component,

but with adjacent ends of the second mentioned components spaced' somewhat apart. For example, in a billet 15 to 20 feet long there may be from three to five soft metal facing membersidisi posed in end-to-end relationship and joined to a single unitary substantially straight steel backing l member.

. I preferably leave suflicient space between the ends of the facing members so that when the composite billet is rolled into strip or other products it will be clear upon examination of the rolled product where the rolled out' facing portions begin and end. If in making up the original billet the facing members were abutted end-toend flaws would occur in the rolled strip at the places where ends of the facing members abutted each other in the original billet but these flaws would not be readily observable and might be overlooked and so cause trouble in the blanking and die-forming operations. When bimetallic strip is used lfor making products such as bullet jackets it is essential that all of the strip fed to the presses should be substantially perfect and continuously faced with relatively soft alloy facing material. Gliding metal (about %l copper and about 10% zinc) is commonly used for facing a steel backing member to make a composite or bimetallic billet to be rolled into bimetallic strip for making bullet jackets.

The spaces between adjacent facing components in a bimetallic billet of the type above mentioned may be left open or theymay be filled the flanges of the backing member over the facing 56 in with fillers of metal dissimilar to the metal of 3 the facing components. Gilding metal has somewhat the color of copper or brass and is easily observable in bimetallic strip in which the other component is steel. not be of metal having the appearance of copper or brass but should be of a dissimilar metal so that in the finished strip the places where the portions clad with gilding metal begin and'end may readily be observed. Ordinary steel or other metals may be used as fillers. When the bimetallic billets are rolled into coils of strip and 4the coils are inspected the portions of the coils invention is of particular advantage in the making and rolling of bimetallic billets made by assembling flanged backing members and facing members which fit between the flanges of the backing members and are held in place by deforming the flanges of the backing members over the edges of the facing members.

Other details, objects and advantages -of the invention will become apparent as the following description of certain present preferred embodiments thereof and certain present preferred methods of practicing the same proceeds.

In the accompanying drawing I have shown certain present preferred embodiments of the in- I vention and have illustrated certain present preferred methods of practicing the same, in which Figure 1 is a plan View with portions cut away of a bimetaliic billet;

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse cross-sectional view to enlarged scale taken on the line II-II of Figure 1;

-Figure 3 is a vertical transverse cross-sectional view to enlarged scale taken on the line III-III of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal cross-sectional view to enlarged scale taken on the line IV-IV of Figure 1;\

Figure 5 is a plan view with portions cut away of a modified form of bimetallic billet;

Figure 6 is a vertical transverse cross-sectional view to enlarged scale taken on the line VI-VI of Figure 5;

Figure 'I is a vertical transverse cross-sectional view to enlarged scale taken on the line VII--VII of Figure 5; and

Figure 8 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal cross-sectional view to enlarged scale taken on the line VIII-VIII of Figure 5. v

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, Figures 1 to 4, inclusive, show a bimetallic billet comprising a steel backing member 2 of generally rectangular cross section but having projecting at the edges of each of its wider faces opposed flanges 3. The backing member 2 may be of any desired length and is preferably lat least or 20 feet long. It is preferably a rolled steel section and is substantially straight throughout its length.

Applied to the backing member 2 are opposed series of facing members 4. One series of facing members I is applied to the top of the back- The fillers if used should ing member 2 and the other series of facing members B is applied to the bottom of the backing member 2. The composite or bimetallic billet is symmetrical about its central horizontal plane (i. e., the central plane parallel to the respective facing members 4) so a description of the relationship between the backing member and the upper facing members applies also to the relationship between the backing member and the lower facing members. Referring to the upper facing members, such members are relatively short as compared with the backing member and are sufficiently straight to lie along the backing member between the two upper flanges 3 thereof. Although the facing members may be somewhat cambered, the fact that they are applied in relatively short lengths reduces the tendency of the camber to interfere with their proper application to the backing member. 'Ihe facing members are arranged in end-to-end relationship along the backing member but with adjacent ends of the facing members spaced somewhat apart.

Likewise the ends of the facing members adjacentthe ends of the backing member are spaced inwardly a short distance from the ends of the backing member as shown in Figure 1. 'Ihe spaces between the ends of the facing members are not great, being merely sufficient to insure that in the rolled product the endsof the portions covered by the facing material will be clearly observable. The ends 0f the facing members in the bimetallic billet; may be spaced apart, say, l/2" to 1", or more if desired.

As the backing member is initially supplied the flanges stand substantially upright to permit the facing members to be laid in place therebetween. After the facing members are positioned as desired between the flanges of the backing member such fianges peened over about the edges of the facing members to hold the facing members in place and form a bimetallic billet. The peening V over the flanges may be accomplished in any desired manner, as, for example, by passing the assembled billet components through peening rolls.

Thus the billet components are held firmly together and the composite bimetallic billet is ready for rolling.

Figures 5 to 8, inclusive, show a modified form of billet which is the same as the form of billet shown in Figures 1 to 4, inclusive, except that spacers 5 are employed between adjacentends of the facing members 4 and the two end facing members extend to the ends of the backing member. Preferably the spacers are of the same transverse cross section as the facing member. In the longitudinal direction the spacers may have the same dimensions as the longitudinal dimensions of the spaces between adjacent ends of the facing members in Figure l. As above mentioned, the spacers should bevof metal dissimilar to the metal of the facing members. For example, when the facing members are of gilding metal or other brass or copper colored alloy the spacers should have a color or appearance substantially dierent from the color or appearance of the facing members. In such case the spacers may advantageously be made of ordinary steel since contrast between the spacers and the backing member is not important.

The advantage of the spacers is that theypermit continuity and smoothness in rollingfWhether or not 'the spacers are used, the portions'of the strip between the portions clad with the facing material will be sheared out before the bimetallic strip goes to the presses. Y

While I have shown and described certain present preferred embodiments of the invention and certain present preferred methods o practicing the same it is to be distinctly understood that the invention is not limited thereto but may he otherwise variously embodied and practiced within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A method of making a rolled bimetallic product comprising forming an elongated substantial ly straight ferrous metal billet component and a plurality of rolled elongated billet components of relatively soft metal of such character that it cannot practicably loe consistently rolled without relatively great camber, the second mentioned components being relatively short as compared with the first mentioned component and suiil ciently straight to lie along and substantially match sections lof the length of the first mentioned component. assembling and joining the first mentioned component and the second mentioned components with the second mentioned components lying in end-to-end relationship along the first mentioned component, but with adjacent ends ofthe second mentioned components spaced somewhat apart',v lling the spaces between adjacentV ends of the second mentioned components with metal fillers, rolling the billet m not practicably be consistently rolled without relatively great camber, the second mentioned components being relatively short as compared with the ilrst mentioned component and sum- 'ciently straight to lie along and substantially l5 match sections of the length of the ilrst men-V tioned component. assembling and joining the tlrst mentioned component and the second mentioned components with the second mentioned components lying in end-to-end relationship 20 along the first mentioned component, but with adjacent ends of the second mentioned components spaced somewhat apart.,Y and lling the Spaces between adjacent ends of the second mentioned components with metal fillers separate 25 from the components. i

FRANK R. FROST. 

